


no conscience

by ellen_tpwk



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Captain America Steve Rogers/ Modern Bucky Barnes, Flirting, Humour, M/M, Shrunkyclunks, Thief Bucky Barnes, i honestly don’t know what this is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 18:24:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20012809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellen_tpwk/pseuds/ellen_tpwk
Summary: this idea popped into my head a few days ago so I decided to write it. hope you enjoy!





	no conscience

**Author's Note:**

> this idea popped into my head a few days ago so I decided to write it. hope you enjoy!

Thanks to his extensive training at SHIELD and his prolonged life experience, there are few things that manage to surprise Captain Steve Rogers. 

In fact he could probably count on one hand the amount of times he’s been caught off guard. 

So when something or someone does manage to catch him off guard, he tends to be more surprised by the fact that he didn’t see it coming rather than the issue at hand. 

His current predicament is only slightly worrying - moreso amusing than anything else. He finds himself tied to a chair in the middle of his sitting room while two men scour his apartment for anything of value. Their only weapons seem to be knives and pepper spray. Steve doesn’t see a single gun on them, which should cause him to feel some sense of relief but only further puzzles him.

To use the word confused to describe his emotion at the two men breaking down his door and shoving a knife against his throat would be an understatement.

After letting the men manhandle him onto the chair and tie his arms tightly behind his back, he simply sits there observing them - out of curiosity more than anything else.

He knows they don’t recognize him. If they did, they would know that rope isn’t strong enough to hold Captain America.

Steve waits patiently as one of the men moves further into his apartment, undoubtedly to search for valuables in his bedroom. He looks up to find the other man watching him. 

He’s well built and tall, probably only a few inches shorter than Steve. He’s got brown shoulder length hair that’s tucked neatly behind his ears, and steel grey eyes. Steve decides that he finds him attractive - objectively speaking of course. 

“You won’t find anything of value here,” Steve says, “You’re wasting your time.” 

The man smirks and steps closer. 

“Thanks for the tip. But I think we’ll just have a look and decide for ourselves.” 

Steve gives him a calculating look.  
“What’s your name?” he asks.

“Hmm...I dunno how I feel about giving my name to a complete stranger.” 

“Alright,” Steve sighs, “my name’s Steve. There. Not a stranger anymore.” 

“Bucky.” 

“You’re joking. Your name is Bucky?” Steve snorts. 

Steve wants to backtrack as soon as the words are out of his mouth but the thief doesn’t look offended. Instead he smiles and shakes his head. 

“It’s a nickname.” he says, “giving away your real name in this line of work isn’t exactly a smart move.” 

“Alright then. Bucky,” Steve starts, “don’t you feel a bit bad, stealing from innocent people?” 

Bucky laughs. 

“Trust me pal. I need it more than you do,” he says, “besides how do I know if you’re an innocent person? You could be a serial killer.” 

Steve laughs. 

“Would be pretty unlucky if I managed to break into a serial killer’s apartment,” Bucky continues, “anyways, I guess I would like to have a conscience. But only for like a day cause after that it would get annoying.”

Steve laughs again and that seems to catch the attention of the other man in his apartment. He walks back into the sitting room and gives Bucky a disapproving look. 

“Don’t know if you’ve forgotten,” he says, “but we’re here on a job. Flirt with him on your own time.” 

Bucky scoffs.  
“That’s not flirting,” he says, then turns back towards Steve, “trust me Steve, you’d know if I was flirting with you. I’m the king of flirting.” 

Steve smiles.  
“Good to know.”

Bucky smirks and winks, then turns back towards the other man. 

“Have you checked the bathroom?” 

“The bathroom? Man, who keeps important shit in their bathroom?” 

“I don’t know,” Bucky rolls his eyes, “just go check.” 

The man walks away, leaving Steve and Bucky alone again. 

“He’s right yanno,” Steve offers, “nothing worthwhile in the bathroom. Or like in general in this whole apartment.” 

Bucky walks over to the cabinet by the window and pulls open the bottom drawer. He pulls out the ornate gold watch and dangles it in the air. 

“Not even this?” 

Steve gasps and his eyes widen. 

“No! You can’t take that.” 

“Ooh looks like I’ve hit a nerve,” Bucky smiles wickedly, “you’re not really in a position to be telling me what I can or can’t do.” 

“Please,” Steve begs, “anything but that. It’s...it was my mother’s. It’s the only thing I have left of her.” 

The smile disappears off Bucky’s face and he quickly puts the watch back where he found it. 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he says, “I’ll leave it be, just...don’t tell my partner.” 

“Of course,” Steve nods, “thank you.” 

Bucky sighs and starts looking through the other drawers of the cabinet. Just as Steve had said, there’s nothing interesting there. He turns back to Steve and sees that the man is smiling. 

“What?” 

“Nothing,” Steve says, “it just...looks like you’ve got a conscience after all.” 

“Shut up.” 

Steve laughs.

Bucky continues looking around the living room and kitchen and Steve is honestly starting to feel a bit bad that he hasn’t found anything. He seems like a nice person, for a thief anyway. 

“Look,” Steve says, “why don’t I just write you a cheque? It’ll be easier that way. You’ll get your money and maybe you’ll stop making a mess of my apartment.” 

Bucky raises an eyebrow. 

“It’s not about money,” he says, “you don’t think that if I wanted money I would just go and be a stripper or something?” 

Steve laughs and tries to stop the blush spreading across his face at the thought of Bucky stripping off his clothes. He fails miserably of course. 

“Why you laughing?” Bucky smirks, “you don’t think I’d be a good stripper? I would be fucking amazing. I’ve taken a pole dancing class before, you know? And I’m super flexible. I’d make the best goddamn stripper you’ve ever seen.”

Steve feels himself flush even further but manages to keep his voice from shaking. 

“I don’t doubt that for a second.” 

Bucky huffs out a laugh. 

“Well good,” he says, “as long as we’ve cleared that up.” 

Steve nods. He questions if he’s going crazy or if Bucky really is flirting with him. 

He can admit, at least to himself, that he likes it. He wonders what kind of person that makes him. Bucky is a thief, he tries to remind himself, he is robbing your apartment. Get a grip Rogers.

But then Bucky smiles at him and all that goes out the window. There’s no shame in finding someone attractive, Steve decides, it’s not like he’s gonna do anything about it.

“You almost done in there?” Bucky shouts and it takes Steve a few seconds to realise he’s talking to his partner. 

“Yeah yeah. Just gonna do another quick sweep of the guest room.” The other man shouts back.

“What’s your friend’s name?” Steve asks Bucky.

“He’s not my friend.” 

“Boyfriend?” 

Bucky bursts out laughing. Steve looks sheepish and wonders for the millionth time in his life how he always manages to say something stupid and put his foot in his mouth.

“His codename is Falcon,” Bucky says after he finally stops laughing, “and he is NOT my boyfriend.” 

The playful disgust in Bucky’s voice makes Steve frown and he briefly wonders if he’s got it all wrong and Bucky is actually homophobic.

Before Steve can launch into a speech about tolerance and acceptance, Bucky shakes his head and waves him off. 

“Before you get all self righteous and defensive,” Bucky starts, “I’m not homophobic. I’m actually gay. Just find it hilarious that you think I’m dating him.” 

Steve breathes out a sigh of relief. 

“Why’s that?” He asks, “he’s attractive. You guys obviously get along since you’re ‘partners in crime’. Why’s it such a hilarious and ridiculous idea?” 

Bucky raises an eyebrow. 

“Okay first of all Steve, never use the phrase partners in crime again. Ever.” He laughs. 

Steve shrugs and blushes slightly. 

“Secondly, we work well together. Doesn’t mean we get along,” Bucky continues, “there’s also the fact that he has a girlfriend.” 

“Okay fair enough,” Steve concedes, “you’re not gonna dispute the ‘he’s attractive’ argument?” 

“No,” Bucky says, “I have eyes Steve.”

Steve laughs.

“Okay,” he says after a while, “if it’s not about the money, then why are you here?” 

“We were hired by someone to...retrieve something.” 

“Can I ask what that something is?” 

“Of course you can,” Bucky smirks, “doesn’t mean I’ll tell you.” 

Steve rolls his eyes but huffs out a laugh nonetheless.

He watches Bucky leave the room and hears the two men talking in hushed tones. He can’t quite make out what they’re saying, even with his ‘super hearing.’ 

Eventually they come back into the sitting room and ‘falcon’ leaves through the front door, carrying a large bag. 

“You can say your goodbyes, lovebirds” he teases as the door closes behind him, “I’ll be in the car.” 

“Ignore him.” Bucky scoffs but he’s blushing. 

“Buck...” Steve starts but is cut off with a laugh. 

“Did you just give my nickname a nickname?” 

“Whatever.” Steve mutters.

“I’m sorry,” Bucky says but he’s still laughing, “please. Continue.”

“As I was saying, I don’t think the people you work for have your best interests at heart.” 

“Why’s that?” Bucky asks as the corner of his mouth quirks up. 

“I hate to break it to you pal,” Steve says, “but I think they set you up.”

“Is that so?” 

Steve nods.

“What makes you say that?” Bucky asks, mock seriously.

“Because I’m-“

“Captain America?” 

“What?” Steve gasps, “you knew?” 

“Of course I knew,” Bucky laughs, “I’m not an idiot.” 

“Jury’s still out on that one.” Steve teases. 

Bucky flips him off.

“If you knew,” Steve starts, “why’d you break in here? Surely you knew I could easily stop you.” 

Bucky shakes his head and gives him a cheeky smile and a wink as he walks to the door. 

“But you didn’t.” He says and before Steve can wrap his head around what just happened, he’s gone. 

Steve is out of the rope within 30 seconds but as he looks out the window he just about manages to catch a glimpse of a black car disappearing behind the corner.

“For fuck’s sake.” He laughs. 

He walks to his bedroom to check what they’d taken and is horrified to find his secret cupboard unlocked and the shield missing. 

In its place is a note. 

terribly sorry for the inconvenience.  
until we meet again.  
bucky


End file.
